Men Barred From Applying for Engineering Professor Role at Sunshine Coast University

The move aligns with Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act which allows for targeted recruitment to achieve gender balance.

Male and female icons in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 25, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

The regional University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) has raised eyebrows with its latest recruitment ad calling for women applicants for a mechanical engineering associate professor role.

Located in Sippy Downs, Buderim, the university is offering an annual salary ranging from $168,933 to $186,045 for the role.

According to the job listing, “This position is open only to applicants who are women under section 105 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld).”

The Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act allows for targeted recruitment to address existing gender imbalances.

When contacted for comments, an UniSC spokesperson stood by the decision saying it was essential to address gender imbalances in STEM fields, particularly in engineering.

“This is not the first time targeted recruitment has been used in Australia to improve gender equity at universities, particularly in engineering, which continues to be a male-dominated profession at 84 percent,” the spokesperson told The Epoch Times.   

University pointed to a recommendation from Engineers Australia to set targets to address this.

“At UniSC, only 7.1 percent of engineering staff identify as women, which is even further below the national average. This gender imbalance is reflected in the student cohort, with between 7.6 percent and 22 percent across our undergraduate programs identifying as women.”

It further said the hiring strategy is aimed at creating visible role models for women.

Opponents of hard gender targets argue that recruitment should be based on merit.

“Family First encourages girls and women to pursue their dreams and opposes discrimination based on gender,” said Lyle Shelton, Family First national director and lead Senate candidate for NSW.

“Hiring should be based on merit so that whoever is the best candidate for the job, male or female, is not disadvantaged,” he told The Epoch Times.

A National Push for Gender Equality in STEM

The university’s actions align with broader efforts to change gender equity in STEM across Australia.

A 2024 report by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, revealed that 37 percent of STEM university enrolments were women, yet women accounted for only 15 percent of all STEM jobs.

Despite the increased enrolment numbers, girls still make up only a quarter of Year 12 students studying information technology, physics, and engineering, according to the Youth in STEM survey.

Additionally, a 2021 follow-up study on STEM graduates revealed that while 56 percent of men remained in STEM occupations, only 31 percent of women did.